Goldilocks would have approved of Mani Vadari's new book, "Electric System Operations: Evolving to the Modern Grid." Some smart grid primers are too simplistic. Some are too complex. His is just right; find out why.

If you're looking for holiday gifts for the boss or a co-worker, we've pulled together some book recommendations from the Smart Grid News Store. Who knows? You may find a title or two for yourself.

There's been fairly constant grumbling about the less than sprightly pace of the U.S. cyber security standards process – but for better or worse we're not alone. Click inside for security expert Andy Bochman's take on progress in Europe.

Smart grid security guru Andy Bochman has spotted two books he thinks Smart Grid News readers should know about. Neither focus exclusively on cyber security, but he says both titles further an understanding of the big picture wrapped around smart grid security, privacy and the compliance landscape.

We took one of the new all-electric Nissan Leafs for a spin. It's an extremely quiet, smooth ride. Even so, we predict a bumpy ride to widespread adoption.

The GridWise Alliance’s Implementation Work Group was established to improve and accelerate the progress of smart grid demonstrations and learn from these efforts for the benefit of nation-wide smart grid implementation. This document identifies gaps in knowledge about the implementation of smart grid technologies and recommends critical areas where information should be tracked and presented to understand the level of success of smart grid projects.

EPRI funded a successful project to identify, evaluate, and accelerate postcombustion CO technologies. This effort, which is nearing completion, led to the valuation of over seventy CO capture processes.

Greenbox Technology Inc. is demonstrating an integrated Internet service that lets consumers view, interpret, and act on their everyday utility consumption. Have they succeeded at creating a truly useful portal? Click to read why it scores 85 out of 100 on the SGN Smart Grid Scorecard.

What new services will the smart grid provide customers? Do customers want these new services? Will they respond by changing their energy use patterns? The answers to these questions will help policymakers in federal and state government determine whether the benefits of the smart grid will cover its costs.

Technology expert Erich W. Gunther says the Modular Infrastructure Scalable Router (MISUR™) from ICI Networks might just raise a few eyebrows. Although considered by most to be the "gold standard" when it comes to measuring the functionality of network infrastructure solutions, "substation hardened" has not typically been used within the Cisco vocabulary. Can utilities have their cake and eat it too with the ICI Networks MISUR™ router? Click to read why it scores 80 out of 100 on the SGN Smart Grid Scorecard.

Until the arrival of the DNP Secure Authentication protocol, some utilities were backing away from Smart Grid initiatives over concerns the security costs would be too high. Power engineer and systems architect Erich W. Gunther gives the new specification 80 out of 100 on the SGN Smart Grid Scorecard. Click to find out why he thinks it’s critical to keeping utilities on the safe path to a Smart Grid.

Award-winning power engineer Erich Gunther is back with another in-depth Tech Take. He’s outdone himself this time, with a review that acts as an excellent introductory tutorial to Substation Gateways and their importance to the Smart Grid. He also looks closely at Cybectec’s Substation Modernization Platform family and awards it an 85 out of 100 on the SGN Smart Grid Scorecard.

Technology expert Erich Gunther says Trilliant’s SecureMesh communications is a standards-based way to rapidly deploy mesh networks in dense urban environments. But can it scale? Click to read why SecureMesh rates a 74 out of 100 on the SGN Scorecard.

Power engineer Erich W. Gunther gives the Arbiter Satellite Clock from Arbiter Systems an 84 out of 100 on the SGN Smart Grid Scorecard. Click to read why it scores so well (and where it still has problems).

This Tech Take examines the IntelliTEAM II® system, a collection of products from S&C Electric Company that provides the distribution network owner an effective automated response to faults on feeders. Overall, IntelliTEAM II scores reasonably well, though some key challenges remain to be addressed.